Simplified magnetic memory cell
View Patent ↗An exemplary magnetic memory cell comprises a ferromagnetic cladding, the cladding at least partially surrounding a non-magnetic region, a spacer layer over the ferromagnetic cladding, and a ferromagnetic data layer over at least a portion of the spacer layer.
1. A nonvolatile memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells, each of said magnetic memory cells comprising:
a ferromagnetic cladding,
said cladding at least partially surrounding a non-magnetic region;
a spacer layer over said ferromagnetic cladding; and
a ferromagnetic data layer over at least a portion of said spacer layer.
2. The memory array of claim 1 , wherein said non-magnetic region comprises a conducting material.
3. The memory array of claim 1 , wherein said spacer layer comprises a tunnel barrier material.
4. The memory array of claim 1 , wherein said spacer layer comprises a non-magnetic conducting material.
5. The memory array of claim 1 , wherein said non-magnetic region comprises an insulating material.
6. The memory array of claim 5 , wherein said ferromagnetic cladding enables a current to flow to said magnetic memory cell.
7. The memory array of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conductor over said ferromagnetic data layer.
8. The memory array of claim 7 , wherein said conductor is narrower than the width of said data layer in a first dimension and said data layer is at least as wide as said ferromagnetic cladding in a second dimension.
9. A nonvolatile memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells, each of said magnetic memory cells comprising:
a ferromagnetic cladding,
said cladding at least partially surrounding a non-magnetic region;
a cap over said non-magnetic region;
a spacer layer over said cap and said ferromagnetic cladding; and
a ferromagnetic data layer over at least a portion of said spacer layer.
10. The memory array of claim 9 , wherein said cap comprises a dielectric material.
11. The memory array of claim 9 , wherein said cap comprises both ferromagnetic and dielectric material.
12. The memory array of claim 9 , further comprising:
a conductor over said ferromagnetic data layer.
13. The memory array of claim 9 , wherein said cap comprises a ferromagnetic material.
14. The memory array of claim 13 , wherein said ferromagnetic material is different than the material of said ferromagnetic cladding.
15. The memory array of claim 13 , wherein said ferromagnetic material comprises materials having a high spin-polarization.
16. The ferromagnetic material of claim 15 , wherein said ferromagnetic material comprises half-metallic ferromagnets.
17. The memory array of claim 13 , wherein said ferromagnetic material comprises multiple layers of materials that have a low permeability in the direction perpendicular to the length of said ferromagnetic cladding.
18. The memory array of claim 17 , wherein said multiple layers comprise at least two ferromagnetic layers, said ferromagnetic layers being separated by a layer of material being selected from a group of materials consisting of Ru, Cu, Cr, Os, or Re.
19. The memory array of claim 13 , wherein said cap enhances magnetic tunneling effects of said ferromagnetic cladding.
20. A nonvolatile memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells, each of said magnetic memory cells comprising:
a ferromagnetic cladding;
a non-magnetic region:
being at least partially surrounded by said ferromagnetic cladding, and
comprising an insulating material; a spacer layer over said ferromagnetic cladding;
a ferromagnetic data layer over at least a portion of said spacer layer; and
a conductor over said ferromagnetic data layer.
21. A nonvolatile memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells, each of said magnetic memory cells comprising:
a ferromagnetic data layer;
a spacer layer over said ferromagnetic data layer;
a ferromagnetic cladding over said spacer layer, said cladding at least partially surrounding a non-magnetic region; and
a cap between said non-magnetic region and said spacer layer.
22. The memory array of claim 21 , wherein said cap includes a ferromagnetic material.
23. The memory array of claim 21 , wherein said cap includes a dielectric material.
24. The memory array of claim 21 , further comprising a conductor below said ferromagnetic data layer.
25. A method for manufacturing a magnetic memory cell comprising:
forming a ferromagnetic cladding at least partially surrounding a non-magnetic region;
forming a spacer layer over at least a portion of said ferromagnetic cladding; and
forming a ferromagnetic data layer over at least a portion of said spacer layer.
26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising:
forming a cap over said non-magnetic region.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein said cap comprises a ferromagnetic material.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein said cap comprises a dielectric material.
29. The method of claim 25 , further comprising:
forming a conductor over said ferromagnetic data layer.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein at least a portion of said conductor is formed along a substantially orthogonal direction to said ferromagnetic cladding.
31. A method for manufacturing a magnetic memory cell, comprising:
forming a ferromagnetic cladding:
said cladding at least partially surrounding a non-magnetic region; and
said non-magnetic region comprising an insulating material;
forming a spacer layer over said ferromagnetic cladding and said non-magnetic region; and
forming a ferromagnetic data layer over at least a portion of said spacer layer.
32. A nonvolatile memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells, each of said magnetic memory cells being made by a process comprising:
forming a ferromagnetic cladding having a non-magnetic region;
forming a spacer layer over said ferromagnetic cladding; and
forming a ferromagnetic data layer over at least a portion of said spacer layer.
33. A nonvolatile memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells, each of said magnetic memory cells comprising:
(a) means for magnetically storing data;
(b) means for permitting magnetic tunneling effects during processing of said data; and
(c) means for separating said (a) from said (b).
34. The memory array of claim 33 , further comprising:
(d) means for reducing interference with said magnetic tunneling effects during said data processing.
35. A nonvolatile memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells, each of said magnetic memory cells comprising:
a ferromagnetic cladding,
said cladding at least partially surrounding a non-magnetic region;
a spacer layer over said ferromagnetic cladding; and
a ferromagnetic data layer over at least a portion of said spacer layer; and
a conductor over said ferromagnetic data layer,
wherein said conductor is narrower than the width of said data layer in a first dimension and said data layer is at least as wide as said ferromagnetic cladding in a second dimension.
36. A nonvolatile memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells, each of said magnetic memory cells comprising:
a ferromagnetic cladding,
said cladding at least partially surrounding a non-magnetic region;
a cap over said non-magnetic region, said cap comprising a ferromagnetic matenal;
a spacer layer over said cap and said ferromagnetic cladding; and
a ferromagnetic data layer over at least a portion of said spacer layer.
37. The memory array of claim 36 , wherein said ferromagnetic material is different than the material of said ferromagnetic cladding.
38. The memory array of claim 36 , wherein said ferromagnetic material comprises multiple layers of materials that have a low permeability in the direction perpendicular to the length of said ferromagnetic cladding.
39. A nonvolatile memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells, each of said magnetic memory cells comprising:
a ferromagnetic cladding,
said cladding at least partially surrounding a non-magnetic region;
a cap over said non-magnetic region, said cap comprising a dielectric material;
a spacer layer over said cap and said ferromagnetic cladding; and
a ferromagnetic data layer over at least a portion of said spacer layer.
40. A nonvolatile memory array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells, each of said magnetic memory cells comprising:
a ferromagnetic data layer;
a spacer layer over said ferromagnetic data layer;
a ferromagnetic cladding over said spacer layer,
said cladding at least partially surrounding a non-magnetic region, and
a cap between said non-magnetic region and said spacer layer, wherein said cap includes a ferromagnetic material.